US military says it struck vessel in Caribbean, killing two

June 21 - The U.S. military on Sunday said it struck a vessel in the Caribbean, killing two people, alleging that the vessel was operated by "designated terrorist organizations" that it did not identify.

The U.S. Southern Command said no U.S. military forces were harmed in the operation. It described those killed as "male narco-terrorists," without elaborating.

This is the latest such attack condemned by rights groups as "extrajudicial killings" and which the Trump administration has said are aimed at "narco-terrorists."

There were six male survivors following the action, the U.S. Southern Command said, adding that it had notified the U.S. Coast Guard for the search and rescue of those survivors.

"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the military said in a post on X.

The use of the military to attack suspected drug vessels represents a stark departure from how the U.S. has historically dealt with such vessels. REUTERS